Container



Dec. 20 1949 c. E. MEYEfiHOE FER CONTAINER Filed March 15, 1947 INVENTOR L fi' -allll HI 4 l tar! E Mtgerfiae/ar MW fag/wk) ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 2@, i949 2,491,680 CONTAIN Cari E. llieyerhoei'er, Brooklyn; N-. Y;=, as'si gnor to Lewyt Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 15, 194?; Salem. 734.98 5 Claims. (01. 506 1.6)

This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improved receptacle. In its more specific aspects the invention provides a receptacle primarily intended for the housing of a vacuum cleaner assembly.

It is an object of the invention to furnish a multi-part receptacle within which a vacuum cleaner and the accessories therefor may be efflcieiitly housed and protected against damage and loss; the assembly, when so housed, being compaetly grouped.

A further object is that of providing a unit of this type and in which the operator may readily transport the entire assembly so that all parts thereof will be instantly available for cleaning operations. Moreover, by means of the present invention a structure is furnished in which the parts may be readily and neatly disposed when itis desired to again transport or store the apparatus.

A still further object is that of providing a receptacle which will embody relatively few parts capable of being manufactured of fiber or any other desired material at minimum expense, such parts cooperating to produce an efficient assem-- bly having a long life.

With these and other objects in mind reference is had to the attached sheet of drawings illustratingone practical embodiment of the in-- vention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle and showing the parts thereof separated from each other;

Fig; 2 is a sectional side view with the parts assembled, taken along the lines Z- Z and in the direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse view of similar nature taken along the lines 3-3 and in the direction of the arrows as also indicated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan View taken along the lines 4-4 and in the direction of the arrows" the container 5 may rest upon the edge of the container 6 with this base portion telescopically disposed with respect to the lower container part. A catch 9 of any desired construction may be employed to normally maintain the lid i in closed position. Likewise, a handle ll] may be associated with the upper container portion 5 for the purpose of transporting the latter.

As illustrated, containers 5 and 6 are preferably polygonal. Obviously, other configurations may be employed. As shown, the lower container 5 may receive a vacuum cleaner unit ll.

That unit may, for example, be of the type shown in application for United States patent Serial No. 721,608, filed on January 11, 1947. The transverse area of container 6 should be slightly in excess of the diameter of the unit It. wands is for the unit may be disposed within container 6 at diametrically opposite points and between the outer face of unit II and. the inner faces of the walls defining container 6. The height of this container should be less than the length of the Wands l3. With the parts thus disposed the hose section l2 may be coiled around unit H in which position it will frictionally engage the outer face of that unit adjacent its upper end and also the inner end edge portions of wand 13; Incident to such engagement the wands will be urged outwardly into engagement with the inner faces of the walls providing container 5-. Especially if that container be polygonal the hose 12 will additionally contact the in neriac'es of these walls.

Thus itis obvious that the unit H, hose I2 I and Wand section it will be efficlently housecl by the lower container 6; With container 5 disposed thereon the upper portions of the wands will be enclosed in a manner hereinafter brought out. The upper container 5 may house the variousacoessories indicated at I 4. Therefore, the entire assembly of parts will be efliciently enclosed and; retained as a compact group When container 5 is removed from container 6 the accessories l4 may readily be maintain-ed as a group and transported by employing, for example; the handle L0. Likewise, the lower assembly of parts maybe transported as a unit.

flihiswill be because the operator may simply grasp handle 15 of unit I! and exert a lifting rage Under those circumstances the frictional cfontat betweenunit l l, hose l2 and wands {3 will be such that the inner faces of the sidewalls 6f container 6 will be engaged or gripped to an iit'nt which will rsiiilt in this container poi tibn'b'iiit; normally immovable with respect to 1t" H. will be true whether or not the 13' are inposition. At the same time, it will be, understood, that by withdrawing the wands i3 and hose l2, unit H may readlly be removed from container 6 when the operator desires to achieve this result.

As shown, the receptacle asembly is conveniently formed of corrugated fiber board. Obviously other materials may be employed. Where such board is utilized, the upper container portion 5 may be provided by employing a strip of material I6 bent upon itself to furnish a double thickness. The lid 1 may have its edge portion bent inwardly as indicated at l8. This lid may be secured to the strip or body it by, for example, staples IT. A tray furnishing a base 19 for the upper portion 5 may likewise be stapled as at IT to the body or strip I 6. This tray provides a lower extension of less area than the upper end of portion 6 and may thus be telescoped with respect to that upper portion.

If portion 5 be, for example, hexagonal, then the tray l9 should have a similar outline. In any event, the tray is formed at conveniently diametrically opposite points with inwardly extending portions 2| provided wells or pockets for the accommodation of the upper ends of wands l3. Accordingly, with the upper portion 5 resting upon the upper edges of the lower portion 6, the wands may project through these wells or pockets as shown in Fig. 2.

The lower portion 8 has its lower end closed by a base 22. The side edges of the latter may extend upwardly, as indicated in 23 and be secured to the side walls of portion 8 by staples ll. Adjacent its upper end the material of the lower portion 6 may be folded inwardly and downwardly upon itself as indicated in 2% to thus reinforce the container adjacent this zone.

As afore brought out, the material of which containers 5 and 6 is formed is preferably fiber board. Obviously, in lieu of this board (whether corrugated or plain) other material might be utilized. If staples i! are to be employed, then they should be disposed as inconspicuously as possible consistent with maintaining the parts in properly extended condition irrespective of all reasonable strains to which those parts are subjected. As will be apparent if a polygonal shaped container is employed, then the wand sections It may be disposed in the corners of the receptacle as illustrated. This is preferred because, under these circumstances, a definite contact area remains between the outer edge of the hose l2 and the inner faces of the side walls of container portion 6, while at the same time ample space exists for the accommodation of the Wands.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically afore noted are achieved. Obviously numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of the parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. In combination a vacuum cleaner assembly including a motor-driven cleaner unit, wand sections and a hose to connect the latter with said unit, a receptacle comprising an upper and a lower portion, the lower portion receiving said unit with the wands disposed beside the same and the hose frictionally engaging the faces of said unit, said wand sections and the inner face of said lower receptacle portion, the heigth of 2. A receptacle including in combination a lower container presenting upper edges, an upper container presenting lower edges resting upon said upper edges to be supported thereby, a base secured to said upper container and said base being formed with openings adjacent its sides and at substantially diametrically opposite points, whereby parts supported within said lower container and extending above the same may slidably engage the surfaces defined by said openings and project into the upper container.

3. A receptacle including in combination a lower container presenting upper edges, an upper container presenting lower edges resting upon said upper edges to be supported thereby, a base secured to said upper container and extending below the lower edges thereof to project into the upper end of the lower container and said base being formed with openings adjacent its sides and at substantially diametrically opposite points, whereby parts supported within said lower container and extending above the same may slidably engage the surfaces defined by said openings and project into the upper container.

4. A receptacle including in combination a lower container presenting upper edges, an upper container presenting lower edges resting upon said upper edges to be supported thereby, a base secured to said upper container and extending below the lower edges thereof to project into the upper end of the lower container and said base being formed with openings adjacent its sides and at substantially diametrically opposite points, whereby parts supported within said lower container and extending above the same may slidably engage the surfaces defined by said openings and project into the upper container and said space and the adjacent surfaces of the lower container being non-circular whereby rotation between said upper and lower containers is prevented.

5. In combination a vacuum cleaner assembly including a motor-driven cleaner unit presenting an upwardly tapered configuration, wand sections and a hose to connect the latter with said unit, a receptacle portion, side Walls forming a part of such portion and extending at angles with respect to each other, said wand sections being interposed between the faces of said walls and said unit and being disposed at substantially diametrically opposite points within said container and adjacent the points of juncture of the walls thereof and said hose encircling the body of said unit whereby if a handle secured to the latter is grasped and lifted, the taperedconfiguration of said unit will cause said hose to be forced outwardly into frictional contact with the inner faces of said walls and to similarly engage and force the wand sections into such contact; all of said parts being thus shiftable as a unit.

CARL E. MEYERHOEFER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Weeks Feb. 2, 1909 Number 

